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Olivia Wilde is dynamic as Sadie the vigilante. A Vigilante isn’t just some pumped-up mystery thriller, it’s a portrait of what’s wrong with the world we live in. Sadie is a woman that’s suffered the horrors of domestic abuse and loss.
The film depicts Sadie in a series of events chasing down domestic abusers and punishing them for their heinous acts. She serves as the judge, jury and even the executioner, to some extent. While the system fails these victims, Sadie doesn’t.
HOW WAS THE ACTING:
Wilde is tremendously powerful in this role. Not only is she fierce and intense, but she exhibits the inner hurt of a domestic abuse victim and depicts it raw and unfiltered. It’s the kind of performance that takes great sensitivity and digging deep inside, even possibly to some dark places in order to make an impactful statement.
The most powerful moments come when she’s releasing her pain and suffering in the form of primal vocal outbursts. It’s the mental and emotional anguish that Wild is able to display, while being the symbol of hope for the voiceless that makes her performance so unique. Wilde doesn’t do much talking, she lets her actions and emotions speak louder than words.
A Vigilante is not the first female driven vigilante film we’ve seen. Recently Jennifer Garner played a grief stricken mother in Peppermint, so movies and characters like this do exist, just the subject matter is different and the depiction of it.
WAS IT ENTERTAINING:
The film deals with a dark and sensitive subject matter, but it doesn’t shy away from presenting it. Its mission isn’t to necessarily “entertain”. Instead, it showcases the cruel side of society. Credit to writer-director Sarah Daggar-Nickson who undoubtedly makes a powerful statement.
As far as the entertainment factor is concerned, it’s still there, to an extent. Hard not to root for Sadie when she’s standing tall for victims and going against the vile abusers.
It is a slower paced story, so those expecting a high-octane thrill ride won’t be getting it, even though the fight choreography Wilde exhibits is well orchestrated. The sobering theme isn’t pleasing when it comes to entertainment factors, but that’s not the objective of this film. Some of the scenes are emotionally draining and painful to watch, so it’s not pleasing in that aspect.
WHY SHOULD YOU SEE IT:
This is a movie that’s important to see. The subject matters is relevant to society and opening-up our eyes to the crimes that happen all too often to our family members, friends, co-workers and strangers we come across on a daily basis.
A Vigilante isn’t an easy to digest movie. It’s emotionally heavy. A statement movie. Brilliant performance from Wilde. Written with a lot of love for the victims. Directed with a lot of emotion. Wilde and Daggar-Nickson bring passion to their work, all with the hopes of changing someones life for the better. If this movie can impact at least one person in need to seek help and save themselves from abuse, then it already achieved more significance than any critical praise or box office could ever provide. A Vigilante is a rare movie of its kind that should be a lot more common.
If you or anyone you know might be suffering domestic abuse and in need of help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1800-799-7233 and visit The Hotline
GENRE: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
RATING: R
RUNTIME: 1 hr 31 min
RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2019
‘A VIGILANTE’ Score: 87%
